This invention relates to a dishwasher rack and, more particularly, to dishracks for use in domestic dishwashers. Such dishwashers are designed primarily for use in the home and normally are of a front opening configuration. Normally such dishwashers have an upper and a lower dishrack to support various items to be washed. A typical family often has many cups, glasses and similar items to be washed and such items tend to have many sizes, including many different heights. Thus it has become common practice to include a pivotal shelf along one edge of one dishrack, normally along a side of the upper rack, to provide flexibility in loading such items. When there are many short items, the shelf is placed in its generally horizontal orientation and short items are placed on the rack under the shelf and other short items are placed on the shelf. This increases the effective space of the rack. When not needed the shelf may be pivoted to its generally vertical orientation out of the way of the rack interior so that taller items can be placed on the bottom of the rack.
Such shelves are very useful but do not provide optimum usage of the available space in the dishrack. For example, if the shelf is positioned about half way up the side of the dishrack, then a row of short items, like cups or short glasses for example, can be placed under the shelf and another row of similar items can be placed on the shelf. However, with such a positioning of the shelf, even medium height glasses are too tall to be safely washed if placed on the shelf. On the other hand, if the shelf is placed closer to the top of the dishrack, taller items can be placed under the shelf. However, it limits use of the shelf itself to items like small bowls and serving or cooking utensils such as spatulas.
The present invention provides a dishrack with a shelf which is vertically adjustable for increased flexibility of use. The shelf has both an upper and a lower position and is supported in both a generally horizontal and in a generally vertical orientation when in each of its positions, The shelf is selectively moveable between its upper and its lower positions so that the user has the ability to adjust the position of the rack to best accommodate each particular load to be washed.
The shelf is supported in the dishrack by plates or end caps which snap fit on the wires forming the side of the rack. The plates are symmetric about their horizontal center line so that the same design plate can be used on both sides of the dishrack.